


memory is a fickle thing

by sweetheartbitterheart



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Angst, Ficlet, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Memory Loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 15:21:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21580336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetheartbitterheart/pseuds/sweetheartbitterheart
Summary: These people say they are her family but they don't look like her family. Vanya doesn't understand.Post-apocalypse Vanya loses her memory
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Vanya Hargreeves & Everyone, Vanya Hargreeves & The Hargreeves
Comments: 9
Kudos: 238





	memory is a fickle thing

**Author's Note:**

> this is a just a little ficlet i started working on a while ago, i kept thinking about vanya losing some of her memories and about the relationship between her and ben, so this happened.
> 
> basically after causing the end of the world and suffering major trauma vanya loses her memory. also five teleports them to some sort of time pocket to buy them time instead of back into the past.

These people say they are her family but they don't look like her family. They feel sort of like them, some deep stirring in Vanya is aware these strange individuals are connected to her. She can't follow the thread though. She doesn't understand.

They talk and shout and plead, throwing around words like apocalypse and Leonard and violin. And Vanya still doesn't understand.

Their words are full of pain and longing, and some latent feeling inside her yearns to comfort all of them. Wrap her slim arms around each of them in hopes that it will alleviate their suffering. But these strangers' eyes are only full of sorrow.

All she knows is that her head feels like it is splitting wide open and there's ringing on and off in her ears, her hands won't stop shaking and she just doesn't get it. Why this is happening. Why these strangers care about her. Why the woman has tears in her eyes. Why one of the men (the second tallest but the skinniest one) keeps attempting a smile and trying to get closer to her. She wishes she understood.

They are all _so_ sad; their grief palpable in the air.

The youngest one grabs her hand, grips it tight to stop the tremor, and simply says, "We're never leaving you alone again."

He looks young but his eyes seem so much older. It unnerves and comforts her. She doesn't understand, but not being alone sounds wonderful.

She has to ask them their names and when she does, it at first brings a confused silence. The woman begins to weep. The skinny one winces, his eyes watery. The other two men, one extraordinarily large and one dressed all in black, both frown with hunched shoulders. Vanya wishes more than anything she could decipher all these reactions.

Vanya starts to apologize but the ringing in her ears is too much.

The youngest one still holds onto her hand; the grip no longer tight but a comforting weight anchoring her.

These people – her siblings, the thought is still so strange – are all sharing looks between each other. A silent conversation about her passes between them. It brings up such anger inside her Vanya tenses all over.

A breeze rustles through her hair and all eyes are suddenly on her again.

It's all too much.

Vanya pulls away from her old-young brother's grasp, a scream inside threatening to escape. She turns her back to these people, desperate to stamp down the racing of her heart.

With ragged breath, Vanya wraps her own thin arms around herself, completely unaware of the small commotion happening behind her.

But then there is a voice she hasn't heard in years, repeating her name and her heart feels so full. 

Because there is Ben, sweet, sensitive Ben, her _brother_. There are tears falling freely down her face, she can taste the salt.

"Ben," her voice is wrecked.

Her body is moving before she is even fully aware, she is climbing into his arms.

It takes a moment for her to realize the wailing sound she hears is coming from her. Sobs encapsulating her body as her lost brother holds her, tight to his chest, rocking her back and forth.

She thinks she understands now.

"I've got you, Van. I've got you."


End file.
